Bill O'Reilly is heard on KXL, this from R&R:

----------------------O'Reilly To End Radio Show-----------------------

By Mike Stern

The Fox News Channel announces that Bill O'Reilly is indeed going to shelve his radio show, "The Radio Factor," in the first quarter of 2009. O'Reilly plans to continue anchoring "The O'Reilly Factor" on FNC, as well as writing a weekly newspaper column.

In interviews following the announcement of his new Fox News Channel television contract, O'Reilly referenced the possibility of ending his radio show, saying, "I can't work 60 hours week. I'm going to have to make some kind of adjustments."

The announcement came from Fox News executive VP Kevin Magee, who said, "'The Radio Factor' has been a lucrative partnership for Westwood One and Fox News, and Bill has been integral to the success of Fox News Radio. He loves the program, but we understand his desire to lighten his heavy workload."

O'Reilly said, "It is with great regret that I've come to the decision to leave 'The Radio Factor,' but with the success of 'The O'Reilly Factor,' I can no longer give both TV and radio the time they deserve. From the beginning, Westwood One has been tremendous and Fox News continues to set the standard, and I've enjoyed working with them. I will miss talk radio and the callers very much."

Westwood One, which has syndicated "The Radio Factor," has not commented on the story yet, nor have any details been revealed about when the program's final day will be.
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This couldn't have come at a worse time for Westwood One.

The end of his radio show was announced more than a month ago.

On a recent road trip when I could pick up mostly conservative talk (and little else of interest), I sampled a lot of conservative talk shows. And, surprisingly, I found O'Reilly's show quite listenable, even though I think he's an idiot. Other hosts I could not stand to listen to for more than a few minutes. Go figure!

Andrew

"The end of his radio show was announced more than a month ago."

It was hinted he might leave, about a month ago but this is the official announcement.

Andrew, I've always thought the same thing. The guy does good radio, period.

The show today was a kick, BTW. I listened on a drive up to Seattle. He was in fine form today.

Wonder who the torch will be handed to. You know they've got to be thinking if BillO is done, or just wants a change up, who can they transition listeners to?

I have wondered how some air personalities, like O'Reilly and Lars Larson, can put in that many hours on the air. It must be very draining.

I expect there will be at least one or two other prominent conservative talk radio hosts who hang it up before '09 is over. This format is slowly but surely declining for several reasons, including the aging of the audience out of desirable demographics, the general decline of AM as a platform, and the slow but definite drift of public opinion away from conservatism (especially the hard-core, no-compromise variety that dominates talk radio).

Another reason is a self-inflicted wound: as far as I could tell, most hosts did little or nothing to prepare their audiences for McCain's likely defeat, preferring instead to deny that a significant shift in popular opinion had occurred since 2004, and feverishly pouncing on every obscure poll that suggested the race was tightening -- although the aggregate polling data clearly show the gap between McCain and Obama stayed essentially unchanged from early October on. In other words, listeners (along with Fox News viewers) were misled on a daily basis to believe in a McCain "surge" that never existed. At least one fairly high-profile host even predicted with certainty, almost up to election day, that McCain would win (others hedged a bit by suggesting the tally would be close enough to litigate, as in 2000).

My guess is that most hosts did this out of fear that their listeners would be turned off by a more realistic, i.e., pessimistic appraisal of the situation, and would gravitate to another host more willing to tell them what they want to hear. But as a result of this shortsighted (and dishonest) strategem, I suspect that more than a few conservative-talk devotees are now wondering if their time listening was truly well-spent.

The wheel has come full circle. I remember Bill O'Reilly on TV in Boston years ago. Frankly, I never paid much attention to him on either radio or TV.

I only remember one liberal on radio in Miami (1970-71). His name was Alan Courtney. Larry King's show was on in the early AM and he was very liberal in those days. However, he didn't press any of his guests very much.

All the talk hosts in Boston were pretty much liberal in the 1970s -- at least when I arrived in May 1972. Oh, maybe two leaned towards conservatism, but not in the current mode.

Later on, the pendulum swung WAY to the right, and it has taken a couple of decades for people to understand that they've been USED...

So, I'm ready for anything on Air America Radio here in Portland, or nationally on Nova M. We travel a great deal (going to California next week) and I wonder who I'll be listening to in Palm Desert, Cathedral City and Escondido, California. Everyone have a happy New Year!

Radio_Lady

Aren't you just so excited!!

Hannidy will move to Kxl. His contract is ending soon at the dog.

Bill O'Reilly never really fit with conservative media, and I always thought his conservative stick wasn't genuine. I kind of think that's he is more of liberal that says conservative slogans for money because liberal political talk doesn't sell. Seems like there's a lot of that going on.

BOR is not hardly a conservative. I watch his Factor show every day and he has plenty of liberal guests on. Often he has two liberals on at the same time. I am one of the Premium members on his website and there are plenty of liberals and conservatives on. He is solid when it comes to the war on Christmas but he doesn't understand economics.

real conservative radio never liked oreilly, kykn in salem announced a month ago they were dropping him and moving glenn beck into the pm drive slot.

That does put a hole in the KXL schedule. Bill Gallagher's still available...

Yeah, the war on Christmas...nobody provokes it better than O'Reilly. Dude needs to go back to 7th grade civics. The 1st amendment is not an obstacle to get around...it's the essence of America. Love it or leave it, you hack...

Thank the Lord above! The fewer neo-CONs on the radio the better!

I never got the impression that Bill O'Reilly was a Neo-Conservative. He is, however, a cultural conservative. He consistently plays to the viewpoints that the entertainment industry and various cultural avant-gardes are out to upset the social order.

Oh we are all so filled with the HOPE for some CHANGE...

Dissent we must not have.

We now enter the age of the NEO COM.

ENJOY.

O'Reilly's radio show has always been much more listenable than his TV show. On TV, it's as if they inject him with something, like they won't have ratings without yelling...

I doubt there will be any mass exodus by conservative talk radio hosts. If you're doing conservative talk, the next four years will be a great time to be alive! Hannity's already calling himself "Conservatism in Exile," and Rush had a blast during the Clinton years.

I also don't believe there's any shift away from conservatism on the part of the public, only a shift away from a President who gave it a bad name.

> Hannity's already calling himself "Conservatism in Exile,"

I heard that the other day and thought it was pretty amusing. I think that Hannity and others will have great success playing the "oppressed by the liberal establishment" card.

IMHO, the jury is still out on all the elements of what we recognize today as conservatism.

The divisive crap is on it's way out. Plenty of people are tired of false choices, like abortion -vs- let the world burn. Social matters are very much in flux, and given what I see in the up and coming generations, trending progressive.

On fiscal matters, I think conservative packs a lot of punch. I'm there.

On trade, that one is in hot debate. It's not really conservative to open up the markets. The risks are high, and cost to us is high. Betcha that one sees some shift away for sure.

On foreign policy, I've no idea what conservative even means right now.

Agreed on the TV show too. There are times though, when BillO makes some great TV. I've laughed many times. On radio, he just seems to be a nicer guy.

Spot on with the "Conservatism in Exile" bit. That's gonna play really well. No danger there.

I'm wondering about Mahar, Stewart, Colbert and friends...

They are a few days from losing a LOT of great material!

Maddow, as always, is hip and trendy. She's going nowhere, having pioneered the critical progressive viewpoint. It's got drama, yet is still ideologically clear. Look for more of those to appear. IMHO, clear keepers.

Waynes_world wrote:
BOR is not hardly a conservative. I watch his Factor show every day and he has plenty of liberal guests on. Often he has two liberals on at the same time. I am one of the Premium members on his website and there are plenty of liberals and conservatives on. He is solid when it comes to the war on Christmas but he doesn't understand economics.

I don't know how to break this to you Wayne, but a host's political views are not dependent on the type of guests he has on. Bill Maher has plenty of republicans on his show, but I think you would probably be the first to call him liberal although he really isn't.

Besides, if O'raly didn't have some libs on once in a while, who would he tell to shut up?

oreilly was too moderate for our listeners.
ingraham, rush, hannity, beck and savage are our bread and butter and we haven't heard one complaint about dropping oreilly.
to a lib, he seems a neo-con, to conservatives, he's a liberal nutjob.

I don't know how to break this to you Wayne, but a host's political views are not dependent on the type of guests he has on. Bill Maher has plenty of republicans on his show, but I think you would probably be the first to call him liberal although he really isn't.

Besides, if O'raly didn't have some libs on once in a while, who would he tell to shut up?


You need to watch the Factor once in awhile and not spend so much time checking what Media Matters thinks of BOR. He has liberal ideas, especially on economics. He wants us to stop driving. Thats not hardly a conservative platform

So a couple things his says makes him a Lib? He backed DUHbya all 8 years he's been in office. That's enough for ANYONE in their RIGHT mind to know he is EXTREME Right leaning.

BillO is F&B for sure!!!Somewhat critical of Wwhere necessary!!!

Come on Trix you need to watch the Factor instead of quoting Media Matters. Anyone who isn't a far leftist Marxist is an extreme right winger. He has often critized Bush. Whats so bad about supporting him?

how about kxl put Victor Boc on there in place of bill O??!!

Since KXL and KUIK "share" Glenn Beck already, maybe KXL could cut a deal with KUIK to get Glenn Beck into the 9-12 or 8-11 a.m. slot? Then KUIK can go back to Laura Ingraham. It's also possible KXL could go for Ingraham.

If you really want to try something different, perhaps KXL could raid KPAM for Victoria Taft, either for the current O'Reilly slot; or, if KXL gets Beck for the morning, she could do 5 p.m. It would give KXL some variety and a local female voice.

In any event, there are plenty of options out there for any station (here or around the country) looking to fill O'Reilly's airtime. It's just a matter of signing a deal or waiting for their candidate's contract with another station in town to expire.

I'm more of a conservative and/or libertarian than anything else. I like to listen to people who make me think. And I dislike ideologues or any stripe. My favorite quote from Savage is: "I'm an independent conservative--not a 'Bush-bot'."

I would love to listen to Bill Gallagher or Victor Boc again.

I agree that getting Victor Boc might be a good idea. It would be good for Boc, too, because that would mean the possibility that his show would get syndicated to other Oregon stations.

Realistically they will not be hiring someone who they have to pay.

More syndication will replace BillO

On Friday's show (Dec. 12), Bill took the day off. Replacing him was E.D. Hill, who takes turns as his sidekick with Fox News legal analyst Lis Wiehl. E.D. and Lis used "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" as their bumper music going in to one segment.

Considering E.D.'s background as a Fox News anchor and co-host of "Fox and Friends," might Westwood One be auditioning her to replace O'Reilly? It could turn into a conservative radio version of "The View." All they'd need is Elisabeth Hasselbeck and maybe Ann Coulter to make it four. I also hear a rumor Condi Rice may be looking for work come January 20...

BTW, I think a lot of people have an unfair knee-jerk reaction about Bill. He is not some hard-core lunatic from the fringe right. He may be bombastic, but if you listen to him, he's his own man and gives a fair hearing to all sides. While Bill's beliefs are a blend of conservative and libertarian, he doesn't go with any party's talking points.

>>listen to Bill Gallagher or Victor Boc again

how about both as in a local "Hannity and Combs"?
Know it would be expensive for KXL...got some real experienced talkers here.
Call me if you need a producer!

Come on Trix you need to watch the Factor instead of quoting Media Matters.

WTF??? Don't know MM.....



Anyone who isn't a far leftist Marxist is an extreme right winger.

And anyone that doesn't believe what you do is wrong....



He has often criticized Bush. Whats so bad about supporting him?

For which he should have and still should. If DUHbya did something worth supporting then I would do so. Until then he gets NOTHING!

You need to stop giving such a knee jerk reaction.JBM is right about that. BOR tries to be fair minded and allow all guests on his show and not just the far leftsts like you want to happen. That would be pretty boring and not hardly the no spin zone. why do you blame people for liking Bush anyway? Isn't that our freedom to do that? If you don't like him I can't change that Trix but at least try to respect those of us who do.

latest update...Jon Gibson takes over slot...

http://radio.about.com/b/2008/12/17/john-gibson-to-replace-bill-oreillys-radio-f actor.htm

Darn, Broadway...beat me to it by a few seconds!

Is it over yet?
Now let's work on getting that TV show on FAUXNews removed. It's like cancer! IT MUST BE REMOVED!!!

Remove the show? That would be censorship. Let it die of natural causes.

>>IT MUST BE REMOVED

America's number one rated cable/satellite news source? Not American.

Just because your #1 DOESN'T mean your good...

And some feel he is #2.

turdly

Is it over yet?
Now let's work on getting that TV show on FAUXNews removed. It's like cancer! IT MUST BE REMOVED!!!

Lets change KPOJ's format to oldies first.

Right after KXL and KPAM start simulcasting KPOJ.

I would be happy with FOX just being FOX, and not FOX News, "Fair and Balanced". They've every right to air that crap. People watch it. It's all good.

It's just not fair and balanced, nor is it really all that much news.

They have a clear bias, and that makes fair and balanced a lie.

And they mix opinion and news together in an unclear manner, making it difficult to call news. More like entertainment.

So, they should just be honest about that!

The way I see it, they are doing the rest of us a favor. It's clear how whacked the viewers are, and it's clear they are a minority. Easily avoided this coming cycle!

Game on FOX!

Waynes_world wrote:

Lets change KPOJ's format to oldies first.

Let's change KEX to all oldies. What do you think of that Wayne?

Andrew 2 said: And, surprisingly, I found O'Reilly's show quite listenable, even though I think he's an idiot.
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O'Reilly is not an idiot...actually very smart. He figured out years ago how to push the buttons that make people want to watch him. And by pushing those buttons he has the highest rated cable news/talk show in the world. Rush figured it out too....bring a conservative point of view to AM radio and mix in oldtime Top 40 entertainment styles that worked and....presto: A highly rated radio program and makes him the highest paid radio guy in the world. O'Reilly and Rush. Idiots??? Hardly.

Trixter said: Just because your #1 DOESN'T mean your good...
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Trixter, that is a great saying for losers. Always remember, no one in showbiz ever failed because they underestimated the taste of the American public.

Trixter, that is a great saying for losers. Always remember, no one in showbiz ever failed because they underestimated the taste of the American public.

That must be why 70% of the population is stupid then. If Britney can make it to #1 then anyone in America can!

LOL!!!

I don't think they are idiots either. Ratings are ratings, and that crowd eats it up and is loyal to the core. Smart moves.

However, to the rest of us, they do look like buffoons.

The price of success!!

Waynes_world wrote:

Lets change KPOJ's format to oldies first.

Let's change KEX to all oldies. What do you think of that Wayne?

sure and have KEX put its talk shows on KPOJ. I mean its the same company right? and a bigger signal.

Then move KPOJ to KXL!

How about...
KPOJ--left channel
KEX---right channel

OLDIES!

Now thats an idea. Move Rush to KPAM.He is too popular he has to be somewhere

I think Rush & Hannity + Hartmann & Rhodes would make for a seriously entertaining AM Radio political death match kind of show.

Let's call Don King to put this together! (Or his radio type equal --I just don't know who that is!)

It's Partisan, one room, one hour, no holds barred, go to the mat, let the best be the best and get it done!

There would be some serious zingers, if the four of them shared a studio, maybe with somebody cool there to moderate and keep the bitings sane! Maybe Thom would crack once and just go off!

Would they all get Hannitized? Bloody on the floor with only Rhodes standing? Thom rationalizing them, through sheer intellect into seeing the light? Rush, with his powerful force of persona, befriends them all?

Maybe there is common ground, an alliance forms, and the world of radio politics is never the same!

Find out this week on the Power Politics Hour, where it's all Partisan all the time!

Who knows!

(I would listen out of morbid interest, just to see what trumps what in the world of personalities and their passions and politics!)